The catwalk: Styling away in seafoam green

Seafoam green is a colour that decorated fashion magazines and adorned clothing racks just a few months ago. I hadn't considered this colour to be fashionable until then, but I desperately wanted to find a way to incorporate it into my wardrobe.

After trying some billowy seafoam blouses and skirts, I felt that the colour wasn't quite right against my skintone (at least that's what I thought... it would take a second opinion to convince me otherwise.) Instead of going with a predominant standout piece I thought I'd try this sweet hue with some accessories. Success! I found a cute pair of floral studs at a Kate Spade outlet, and I wear them when I want to add a subtle pop of colour to an outfit! It's the perfect way for me to embrace this trend without swimming in a sea of green. 

Happy weekend! x

Photo by Sam Russell

Photo by Sam Russell

Sultry Salad Dressing Series: Balsamic Dressing

It's no secret: I am a lover of salad! So much so, I eat some form of salad with every meal. Well... maybe not breakfast because that would be weird, but you get the idea! Sometimes though, I struggle with store-bought dressings. Some of them are heavy, high in fat and contain lots of salt, and I would much rather a healthy option. Even though a variety of healthier dressings are available, I thought it would be fun to make my own instead! So for the next few weeks, I'll be doing a Sultry Salad Dressing Series that's all about how to make your own salad dressing.

First up in the series is one of my favourites: Balsamic Dressing. I should mention that I have a really great tool for making my own dressing, and it was passed on to me by my mom. She originally bought this salad dressing bottle a few years ago, and it's just perfect! As pictured below, I can actually make and store the dressing in the bottle until it's gone!

Back to the recipe. The trick to making your own dressing is adding the liquid ingredients first, and then adding the spices.

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar
1 Clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp pepper

Mix the above ingredients together well, serve and enjoy! Refrigerate any left over dressing and you'll be able to enjoy it for weeks. If you try this recipe or if you have any feedback, leave a comment below!

Happy Monday! x

P.S. My endless summer salad is still flourishing! I'll post an update at the end of the summer.

The catwalk: perfectly printed halter dress

My style this week is back to bold in a perfectly printed halter! I found this dress at Kenneth Cole while outlet shopping last year, and I immediately fell in love with its flowy fabric and vibrant colours. My purchase decision took very little convincing once I tried it on! I knew this was going to be a piece I'd wear again and again.

Featuring overlapping colourful print patterns that meet in a knot at the bust, and two small metal rods on the straps, this dress is great for almost any occasion. Dress it up with a blazer and a pair of black slingbacks for work, or go for a more casual look by pairing it with a cropped denim jacket. It can be great for a wedding too when it's worn with heels and a black clutch! In fact, I wore this look just last weekend to a wedding with a black Kate Spade handbag.   

If you try this look or you have tried a look like this in the past, leave a comment below! 

Happy weekend! x

P.S. Photos this week are by my friend Sam. He does a fantastic job of making me look fabulous! Check out his amazing work at his Flickr stream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/samuelrussell/

Photo credit: Sam Russell

Photo credit: Sam Russell

Photo credit: Sam Russell

  

Fresh fruit salsa

It's the middle of summer. Nothing is better on a hot day than something nice, refreshing and cool. I'm not talking about ice cream, frozen yogurt or even beer. One of my favourite summer snacks is healthy, delicious and fun, and it's a real crowd-pleaser! It makes for a great dessert if you want to serve it at the end of a meal, too. What is it? Fresh fruit salsa and brown sugar pita chips.

Here's my take on how to make it. First, pick up some of your fav fresh fruits and berries. I'm usually sure to include lots of strawberries and some kiwi; they're not too sweet, and are a good base to layer other fruits with. The last time I made this, I chose strawberry, kiwi, pineapple, and honeydew melon. The amount you make is really dependent upon the amount of people you're serving. If you want to add a spicy kick to your fruit salsa, pick up a habanero pepper.

When you have your fruit, it's time to start chopping! Chop each fruit into fine pieces, adding to a bowl as you go. This is the most time consuming part! Once all the fruit is finely chopped and added to the bowl, mix it well together, cover and refrigerate.

Next? On to the pita chips. This is my favourite part. For this, you'll need whole wheat pita shells, extra virgin olive oil and brown sugar. Again, the amount you make is dependent upon the number of people you're serving. One pita shell will yield 16 chips. Start by pre-heating your oven to 350 C. First, cut the pita shell into 1/8s and then separate the top and bottom pieces of each one. Lay them on a baking sheet with the smooth side down and rough side facing you. Next, add some extra virgin olive oil to a small bowl and grab a cooking brush. Lightly paint each chip with some extra virgin olive oil. Then sprinkle some brown sugar over each chip. I've added my brown sugar to a spice shaker, which makes this an easy and even process. When everything's ready to go, put the baking sheet in the oven for 5-7 minutes, or until chips are crisp. Be sure to keep an eye on them, because they can go from crispy to overdone in a matter of seconds!

When the chips are nice and crisp, remove the sheet from the oven. Serve salsa in a small dish with 8 to 10 warm brown sugar pita chips on the side! If you give this recipe a try or if you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to leave a comment.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! x

The catwalk: flirty in floral

This week, my style's a little different from my usual attire. You've probably noticed that I usually choose bright and bold colours because of my skin tone; it's not often you'll see me dawning a neutral hue. This piece makes a statement and while it's a different look for me, I like the feeling I get when I wear it. It's got a 60s retro vibe, but when accessorized carefully it becomes retro with a modern twist!   

I found this dress about a year ago at another one of my fav stores: MNG by Mango. I was first attracted to its pretty floral print and light fabric, and when I tried it on I felt very pretty and feminine. It was originally priced at $90 and discounted to $20, and even though I wasn't sure where exactly I would wear it, I thought I'd get it anyway... even if I wore it once, I'd be sure to get my money's worth! 

This dress is light, breezy, fun and flirty and it's turned out to be great for almost any occasion! It can be dressed up for work with a pair of heels and a clutch; or it can be made casual when paired with a short denim jacket, sandals and bright handbag. But best of all, it's a great standout piece and it's fantastic for summer! 

Happy weekend! x